Dual firing spark plug



June 9, 1959 c. w. MAJOR 2,890,355

- DUAL FIRING SPARK PLUG Filed June 2a, 1955 Fig. I

Char/es 14 Major IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent DUAL FIRING SPARK PLUG Charles W. Major, Vineland, NJ.

Application June 28, 1955, Serial No. 518,496

2 Claims. (Cl. 313-123) This invention relates to spark plugs for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to spark plugs adapted to provide multiple sparks for igniting the fuel.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a multiple spark arrangement for spark plugs of conventional size and shape which can be either adapted for installation on previously manufactured conventional spark plugs or which may be utilized in original manufacture without requiring extensive changes to molds, dies and the like used in forming the conventional spark plug.

A further important object of the invention resides in the provision of a dual firing spark plug which includes a pair of electrodes having a conductive ring spaced therebetween for ensuring that there will be more than one spark provided for igniting the fuel in the cylinders of an internal combustion engine so as to gain optimum performance from the engine.

Still further objects and feature of this invention reside in the provision of a dual firing spark plug that is simple in construction, highly eflicient in operation, easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and which can be readily installed in lieu of existing spark plugs, thereby permitting wide use and distribution.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by these dual firing spark plugs, preferred embodiments of which have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of one form of the dual firing spark plug comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the spark plug;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the electrode end of the spark plug;

Figure 4 is a sectional detail view illustrating a portion of a modified form of dual firing spark plug;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 55 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is another sectional detail view illustrating another modified form of the invention; and

Figure 7 is a sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 7-7 of Figure 6.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, and with initial attention directed to the embodiment as is shown in Figures 1 through 3, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the dual firing spark plug comprising the present invention. This spark plug includes a metallic shell 12 having an insulating core 14 carried thereby. The metallic shell is suitably threaded, as at 16, for engagement within the female threads in the engine block of the internal combustion engine with which the spark plug 10 is adapted to be associated.

The insulating core 14, as is conventional in spark plugs, has a conductive main electrode rod 18 embedded therein and extending therethrough. A pin 20 is pro- 2,890,365 Patented June 9, 1959 'ice 2 vided which is electrically connected to the main electrode rod 18 and carries a projection 22 forming one of the electrodes of the spark plug. A ring 28 of conductive material is pressed and seated into a groove 30 formed in the core 14.

Another electrode 32 is attached to the shell 12 and is arranged in spaced relationship to the ring 28. Thus, two gaps, as at 34 and 36, of substantially equal size are provided across which the spark may jump, thereby assuring dual firing of the spark plug during its use.

In Figure 4, there is shown a modified form of the invention in which there is disclosed a spark plug 40 having a shell 42 of a suitable metallic material and an insulating core 44. A main electrode rod 46 extends therethrough and positioned between the core cap 48 and the main core section 44 is a washer or disk 50 of electrically conductive material. The main electrode rod 46 is in electrical contact with the disk 50. The disk 50 therefore forms an electrode. Another electrode 52 is secured to the shell 40 and extends underneath and engages the core cap 48 to not only hold the core cap 48 in position but to form a gap between itself and an electrically conductive ring 54 substantially equal to the gap between the ring 54 and the electrode 50. The ring 54 is pressed and seated into a groove 56 formed in the cap 48.

Referring now to the embodiment of spark plug generally designated by reference numeral 60 in Figure 6, it will be seen that herein there is disclosed a spark plug employing a metallic shell 62 and a core 64 of insulative material having a main electrode rod 66 extending therethrough with the electrode rod 66 being embedded in the insulative material of the core 64. A pin 68 of electrically conductive material is secured in the core 64 and engages the electrode rod 66. This pin 68 therefore serves as an electrode, and another electrode 70 is secured to the shell 62 and is shaped so as to engage the insulative material of the core 64. An electrically conductive ring 72 is suitably seated in a groove 74 in the core 64 and is equivalently spaced from the electrode 68 and the electrode 70 so as to thereby form two gaps across which the spark may jump to the conductive ring 72. This assures proper and desirable dual firing of the spark plug.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A spark plug comprising a metallic shell, an insulative core carried by said shell, 21 main electrode rod carried within said core and enclosed by said core, a first electrode connected to said shell, a second electrode said second electrode supported in said core and extending through said core to engage said electrode rod, and a conductive ring carried by said core and spaced from said first electrode and said second electrode, said second electrode comprising a disk, said first electrode extending beneath said core in supporting relationship thereof.

2. A spark plug comprising a metallic shell, an insulative core carried by said shell, a main electrode rod carried within said core and enclosed by said core, a first electrode connected to said shell, a second electrode said second electrode supported in said core and extending through said core to engage said electrode rod, and a conductive ring carried by said core and spaced from said first electrode and said second electrode, said second electrode comprising a disk, said disk separating said core into a main core and a core cap, said first electrode engaging said core cap, said first electrode extending beneath said core cap in supporting relationship thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Nance Sept.- 23, 1913 Witter Nov. 4, 1913 

